Camp and Vacation Programming

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND….STORYTELLERS! A celebration of dance movement & children’s literature.

July 10 – 14th, 2023

Age 6-9, 9AM-12:30PM. $225, *Accepting names for Waitlist

The art of storytelling is shared in many ways, whether it be DANCE, MUSIC, ART, or the written WORD. Imaginative play will be our guide as we interpret beloved children’s books and create stories of our own, through language, movement, puppetry, and song. Daily dance classes offered including Contemporary, Acro, & Jazz/Hip Hop. We are so excited to announce this year’s special guest author is…… HEIDI E.Y. STEMPLE!!  There Might Be a Kazoo Emergency, Flamingo Bingo, Chicken Karaoke, Adrift, and Whose Nest is Best? are just a few of her popular titles.  She has written more than 3o books, some of which she coauthored with her mother, Jane Yolen. We’ll round out our week with Improv Instructor Heidi Haas/Mixed Up Fairytales and a magical story time with Lexi Walters Wright from High Five Books .   

BRAND NEW! Moonwalkers Space Camp! 

July 24 – 28, 2023.  9AM – 12:30PM. Ages 6-9.  $225

*Accepting names for Waitlist

Join us for intergalactic levels of fun as we travel to new heights in Moonwalkers Space Camp! Daily dance classes offered in Acro and Jazz Hip Hop, as well as space themed art projects from Art Always! Stargazers, we’re bringing the galaxy to you, thanks to the Springfield Museums and their portable planetarium! Special guest educators will take us to new heights as we celebrate the anniversary of the Moon Landing. Prepare for LIFT OFF, Campers!  We’re blending fun, facts, and fantasy for a memorable week with Dramatic Arts Educator Megan Allen. Science experiments and our special guests will unlock new discoveries that are simply out of this world! *Sold Out, Waitlist Open

NEW! Empowered Presence: Technique and Wellness Week for Pre-Teen and Teen Dancers
July 17- 21, 11:30-3:30, Ages 10- 15, $250

New at Ascendance, this camp experience provides a brand new approach to dance training for Beginning/Intermediate pre-teen and teen dancers. Through daily practice of body-mind awareness, the five senses, our proprioceptive abilities, and imaginative impulse, we will connect to our bodies’ inherent intelligence, and learn to listen to its wisdom. Dancers will have two daily technique classes in various styles that focus on empowered response: the art of choosing our next action, consciously rather than reacting. Focusing on how sound, words, music, and story influence our state, we will learn how to interpret cues and sensations in the body that communicate our needs. Special Guests will be with us during the week to teach us how to incorporate self-care and wellness practices into our daily lives.

Registration is NOW OPEN!